The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced today a new approach to purchasing and distributing life-saving medicine and health supplies. USAID will use data analytics and innovative tools to drive-down the price of medicines and increase delivery speed. As funding for global health has remained relatively stable over the past several years, this new approach will enable USAID to reach millions more patients with the same amount of resources.

On Thursday, April 16, USAID Assistant to the Administrator for Afghanistan and Pakistan Affairs Donald L. "Larry" Sampler will participate in a panel discussion on private sector growth and investment at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. As international aid decreases, Afghanistan and Pakistan will increasingly rely on foreign investment and private sector development to fuel economic growth. Sampler will speak about USAID’s efforts to support entrepreneurs, connect investors with local businesses, and assist in creating a supportive environment for private sector growth.

The White House announced at the Seventh Summit of the Americas that starting this year, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will invest $35 million in a new higher education program designed to strengthen the capacity of technical training institutions in the region to provide market-relevant training for disadvantaged populations in Central America and the Caribbean.

Coordinator role will increase engagement between USAID and higher education community

Dr. Barbara O. Schneeman is the U.S. Agency for International Development’s first Higher Education Coordinator for this administration. In this role, Dr. Schneeman will work with the higher education community to improve awareness of USAID opportunities and increase engagement avenues for the agency. She will champion higher education as a tool to solve development challenges and drive economic growth.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Assistant Administrator for Asia Jonathan Stivers will travel to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyz Republic to oversee U.S. assistance programs, meet with USAID staff, government officials, implementing partners and civil society leaders.

New evidence shows that treating severe infections closer to home with fewer antibiotic injections could save lives by increasing access to care when hospitalization is not possible

Simple antibiotic regimens for newborns with severe infections - such as pneumonia and sepsis - in lower income countries is as effective as the standard course of twice daily injections and hospitalization over the course of a week, according to research conducted in Bangladesh, Nigeria, Kenya, and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Simpler treatment options could help millions of infants who lack access to hospital care

On Thursday, April 2, experts will share new evidence to be published in The Lancet and The Lancet Global Health with the potential to save thousands of newborn lives with low cost, effective and commonly available antibiotics. Almost a quarter of the three million neonatal deaths annually are the result of severe infections like sepsis - a fast progressing life-threatening illness in newborns that requires rapid treatment. Newborn sepsis can be difficult for families and even clinicians to recognize in newborns, who rapidly decline without timely and appropriate treatment.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Assistant Administrator for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance Thomas H. Staal and USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance's Director Jeremy Konyndyk will accompany U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power who will lead the U.S. Delegation to attend the third High-Level International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria in Kuwait City, Kuwait on March 31.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Assistant to the Administrator for Africa Eric Postel will accompany Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Linda Thomas-Greenfield to Nigeria on March 27, 2015.

The White House announced that the U.S. Government will make up to $800 million available to support a New Development Partnership with Afghanistan. The initiative will help Afghanistan achieve self-reliance and reinforce our commitment to results and accountability by linking funds to specific reforms in combating corruption, promoting rule of law, strengthening women’s rights, and enhancing private sector growth.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Assistant Administrator for Asia Jonathan Stivers will travel to Burma and Vietnam to meet with government officials, a wide range of civil society organizations, and business leaders in both countries.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Assistant Administrator for the Bureau of Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance Thomas H. Staal will travel to Sendai, Japan from March 14 to 18 to participate in the 3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction. Staal will lead the U.S. delegation composed of eight U.S. government agencies and participate in high level events and meetings with leaders from foreign governments, international organizations, non-governmental organizations and major groups.

Officials from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), including Chief Innovation Officer Steven VanRoekel and Executive Director of the U.S. Global Development Lab Ann Mei Chang, will deliver a presentation at South By Southwest (SXSW) Interactive in Austin, Texas on March 13. The presentation provides an overview of how USAID has mobilized science, technology, and innovation in the fight against Ebola and how this approach can be used to address other pressing challenges in the developing world. The presentation will feature a live demonstration of a new protective health care worker suit, a winner of USAID’s Fighting Ebola: A Grand Challenge for Development.

Competition seeks innovations to improve water and food security, gender equality to receive up to $3 million in funding and acceleration support

Today at the Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (MFA-NL) announced the third call for groundbreaking innovations underSecuring Water for Food: A Grand Challenge for Development. This $12.5 million global call for proposals has an increased focus on cutting-edge, advanced technologies and business models, as well as innovations that prioritize the engagement of women. As part of USAID's new Middle East Water Security Initiative, an additional $2.5 million will be available for innovations implemented in the MENA region.

The White House announced a new initiative today to expand its efforts to help adolescent girls worldwide get a quality education through an initiative called “Let Girls Learn.” The new initiative will elevate existing programs and public-private partnerships, seek out new ones, and challenge organizations and governments to commit resources to lift up adolescent girls across the globe.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) today announced Ariel Pablos-Mendez as Child and Maternal Survival Coordinator, to focus on the goal of ending preventable child and maternal deaths. Katie Taylor, who has served as interim Coordinator, is named Deputy Coordinator.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced the $18.7 million Education Crisis Response program today to assist the Government of Liberia in restoring basic education in the Ebola-affected country and help return children to school safely. The program was announced today while Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf visited with staff from USAID.

The U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative, led by the U.S. Agency for International Development and implemented together with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), launched its next six-year strategy to further reduce malaria deaths and substantially decrease malaria illness, toward the long-term goal of elimination at the White House today.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia Susan Fritz will travel to Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia from February 20 - March 5. Acting Assistant Administrator Fritz's visit will include meetings with government officials, civil society, international partners, and USAID staff in these countries.